UCLA 83, CAL STATE SAN MARCOS 60: Bruins try to work out kinks in exhibition victory

The Bruins (5-3) downed Cal State San Marcos 83-60 in Tuesday night's exhibition in front of 4,174 - one of the sparsest crowds new Pauley Pavilion has seen.

Shabazz Muhammad scored a game-high 19 points.

The Cougars (7-3) play in the NAIA and debuted as a basketball program in 2011. Every single player on their roster was a transfer, some coming from as far away as University of Missouri-Kansas City and Niagara University.

Even against less-than-stellar competition, the Bruins started off slow as they practiced their man-to-man defense. UCLA never trailed, but led just 20-19 midway through the first half.

"We've got to be patient," head coach Ben Howland said this week. "Keep pushing hard. A team with youth, you've got to be patient. Everything is new to them. - You can't take anything for granted."

The Bruins were ranked as high as No. 11 nationally before being upset by Cal Poly on Nov. 25 and falling from The Associated Press poll completely the next day.

"I think we can be a very good team," Howland added. "No. 1, we've got to stay healthy. We've got a lot of basketball to be played."

Dishing out

Point guard Larry Drew II has been a statistical bright spot for the Bruins. Nationally, the team's lone senior entered Tuesday tied for second in assists per game (8.5) and was alone in fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio (6.18).

Drew averaged 3.9 assists through 22 seasons at North Carolina before transferring in February 2011.

Still not 100 percent

Howland said this week that he doesn't expect Muhammad to be at peak game condition until January. The Bruins open Pac-12 play against Cal on Jan. 3, six days after they host No. 12 Missouri.

Despite still not being in great shape, Muhammad opened the day with 16 points and 7 rebounds per game, both good for second on the team. Freshman big man Tony Parker has also been plagued by various injuries, first succumbing to back spasms before spraining his ankle over a week ago.

Parker returned to practice this week after sitting out for around eight days, and grabbed four rebounds in the first half against Cal State San Marcos.

UCLA has just eight scholarship players left on its roster. On the rare occasions that the team trots out more players - that is, in blowouts - it turns to center Sooren Derboghosian and guard David Brown.